Peridonis'Alya
Peridonis'Alya is an eighth generation female Jem'Hadar from L'Gara, the homeworld given to the Jem'Hadar as part of the Peace Treaties of Aberteen III, an established neutral planet in the Gamma Quadrant. Part of this agreement, signed by the Founders, the Vorta, the Jem'Hadar, and witnessed by the United Federation of Planets, were provisions for the perpetuation and security of all genetically engineered races created by the Founders. Section 2-A mandated the creation of sexually functional versions of the Jem'Hadar, which would allow their species to continue its existence. Under mutually agreed upon terms, the Jem'Hadar were divided into two sexes - male and female, with distinctive traits for each - and given the ability to reproduce via in vivo gestation, with the female sex carrying the children for a period of 2 weeks. The rapid gestation of Jem'Hadar children was preserved at first to allow for rapid population growth (as many of the asexual Jem'Hadar produced prior to the Dominion War had short life spans and would quickly perish, leaving their species defenseless). The Jem'Hadar life span was increased to approximately 50 years. However, to prevent growth in populations that was too rapid, the Founders engineered a kill switch mechanism that would increase gestation time to 7 1/2 months within the womb after the 7th generation. (Star Trek: Frontiers) After birth, it takes approximately 7 years to reach maturity. Peridonis is a member of the first generation of "long gestation" Jem'Hadar infants. Only 8 generations removed from the control of the Founders has not allowed the Jem'Hadar much time to develop a unique culture. Like their Vorta counterparts, the Jem'Hadar were given the neural and emotional capacity to create and appreciate things like aesthetics, philosophy, and morality, but the evolution of these ideas was left to the self-determination of the species. Predictably, the Jem'Hadar have continued in many of their old ways, with an emphasis on military might. The development of distinct feminine and masculine traits has been slow in coming, with sex seen as simply a means to reproduction. Jem'Hadar females are often resentful of the need to bear children, which prevents them from having total military equality with men. Jem'Hadar still loosely organize themselves into "patrols," even within the family structure. Maternal instincts have yet to develop in Jem'Hadar women, so the raising of children is more of a communal activity. Peridonis was raised in a Kala'Tan (a family or clan) of twenty-six members with her twin brother, Atadonis'Gar. Like many other Jem'Hadar children, both entered the military training program at age 7, and both were extremely proficient. During their childhood, however, Peridonis began to experience nascent feelings of familial love for her brother, and she was extremely upset when they were stationed in different areas of military service - her brother aboard a starship and her in weapons development. She remains unable to articulate these emotions to this day, however, as the Jem'Hadar culture and linguistic vocabulary has yet to fully assimilate these concepts that are just beginning to appear in certain Jem'Hadar. Most recently, Peridonis, now 16 years of age, has been assigned to the Omega Disruptor Project, a joint task between the Jem'Hadar and the UFP. Like most Jem'Hadar, Peridonis is extraordinarily adept with weapons, although her skill as an engineer surpasses most of her species. As an act of diplomatic good will, Peridonis was stationed about the U.S.S. Enterprise as a tactical officer during its voyage to the Far Reaches.